[humyum]

Hey guys, but the height of the under ride bar behind will change depending on its loading condition. An empty truck might look like its too high, but with a loaded one, it might come down to the necessary height don't you think ?

Also I am sure, it can't be lowered to cars like the Baleno or the Old' Zens bumper height as practically its just not possible due to GC issues.

[jkdas]

Great! That was a very informative thread!

Thanks for sharing.

[ghodlur]

Rehaan,

Thanks a ton for such an informative thread. I read it y'day and actually when travelling back home from office did encounter couple of trucks with no under run or side run bars. Your thread suddenly flashed before me and decided to keep more than enough distance between the truck and my car.

Have already sent my office colleagues the link to the thread and everybody were amazed to the details mentioned.

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by srishiva

The under bars sure provide protection to modern cars with crumple zones. yet they still do not absorb any impact by themselves and still is like hitting against a dead obstacle.

I'm not sure what the exact specifications are, but given their construction (vertical bar with no triangulation) it's fairly clear that they will absorb impact - rather than be completely rigid. This would of course depend on the severity of impact, and of course its better they deform a little less than a little too much (leading to the car going under the truck).

Originally Posted by Venkat_Figo

Once, was able to talk to a truck driver : (There are many potholes & speed breakers on the roads, many times the rod grazes the rod, hence have increased the height).

Sounds like it could be one of those modifications that they get done as soon as they receive a new truck! We get ICE and alloys, they make the RUPD higher...

Originally Posted by Ashley2

In simple terms they [FUPD] are fitted below the front bumpers and should be in a height not more than 500mm from ground.

Thanks a lot for your very informative reply!

Do you happen know what the Indian specs state for RUPD height?

Originally Posted by Ashley2

No truck can pass CMVR regulations / sold without them. What's happening is, when they are hit and broken they are not replaced.

Do commercial vehicles have to do any periodic fitness tests? Maybe PUC?

If a basic check of headlights, taillights, tyres and RUPD were done at this time - it would literally save hundreds of lives a year.

Originally Posted by Ashley2

Basically RUPD's are kind of crumble bars and are designed to absorb the collision rather than resist it like FUPD. That's the reason, RUPD's looks flimsy with just a round bar as against FUPD which looks very robust.

True, though since you had quoted my point of "improper construction" do see the video i had posted. It shows that even within the rules there's enough leeway to have a RUPD that is completely useless in an offset collision. The results of the tests in the USA for this were shockingly bad.

Originally Posted by SRKHYD

What is the best material to fabricate the Under-run Protection Bars?

Not sure what the specs say. @Ashley2?

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

I would rather cops were used up in doing that than stopping people who don't wear their seatbelt or a helmet (though, I advocate it, it is like having more people out there to stop suicides rather than murder)

Interesting point of view

Can't say i disagree, though at the same time, I'd want to see numbers before making a decision on this. (eg. I'd rather prevent 1,500 'suicides due to ignorance' rather than 800 'murders' if given a choice).

Originally Posted by humyum

Hey guys, but the height of the under ride bar behind will change depending on its loading condition. An empty truck might look like its too high, but with a loaded one, it might come down to the necessary height don't you think ?

Yes, it will definitely come lower -- but the bar should still be at a safe height for an unloaded truck. The specification i quoted said:

Rear underride guards must be placed at a maximum height of 400 mm from the ground on an unloaded truck

cya
R

[.anshuman]

Thanks Rehaan for this great informative thread! Strictly enforced Under Run bars on trucks will help save thousands of lives on our highways every year.

At the time of collision with trucks without under run bars even the world's safest cars are not safe. Link to a old post on the same topic: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...ml#post2607301

[shivshanker]

A few years back, I was stopped on the Mulund link road for the usual checks by the cops. As I was unhappy in the manner in which the papers and the PUC was being scrutinized, I remember picking up an argument with the policeman on how trucks are plying without tail lights. All I can say about this incident was that he was not pleased.

Great write-up and a superb illustration, it's a pity that in India we cannot expect the COPS to know about these kind of safety features and ensure strict enforcement.

[satnjyoti]

Thanks everybody for making this a great read. And specially Rehaan for a very well written and educative thread. I dread these trucks and tippers. But my ultimate nightmare are those tractor trolleys crawling inconspicuously on the night road and for some strange reason dead in the centre (guess guy's catering for poor head lamps). These guys are ubiquitous, mostly without any reflector leave aside tail lamps or under slung bars. Had scary near misses couple of times.

[centaur]

The under-run bars are definitely required but for starters can the cops start with proper working tail lamps and adequate reflectors? Maybe I am going a bit OT here but many trucks dont even have any tail lamps, leave alone for them to be working. No reflectors only worsen things especially at night when the truck is parked. While the under run bars will help reduce injuries but wont stop accidents from happening. Offenders should be heavily fined and their licenses revoked (temporarily or maybe permanently) to ensure that they fear not being compliant else this will never work IMO

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by centaur

The under-run bars are definitely required but for starters can the cops start with proper working tail lamps and adequate reflectors? Maybe I am going a bit OT here but many trucks dont even have any tail lamps, leave alone for them to be working. No reflectors only worsen things especially at night when the truck is parked. While the under run bars will help reduce injuries but wont stop accidents from happening. Offenders should be heavily fined and their licenses revoked (temporarily or maybe permanently) to ensure that they fear not being compliant else this will never work IMO

The transport department on highways is very active and proactively stops trucks without Tail lights.
Once such a truck is stopped, the list of charges is brought up.
The truck can be impounded, and hefty potential fine is listed to the driver.
The driver then takes a log book and looks at the bribe rate.
Then a bribe is paid, and all make merry.

This is the story of "inspection". You can make any law you want. But in a modern democracy, you have three pillars
Legistlative - Makes the law - Done
Judiciary - Decides law in dispute - Done
Executive - Actual enforcement.

Unfortunately, the structure here is a like an auto rickshaw without the front wheel present. So its not going anywhere.

Tail lights, RUPD, fitness, load limit.... all these laws are very much there. However, the executive is not interested in enforcing them because there is lot of money made in bribes.

[centaur]

In complete agreement with you but if we consider this then the under-run bars not being in place on trucks also follows the same route and pretty much ends up the discussion isnt it ? . In that case this would just be a thread with some good to know information

[sudev]

Excellent and timely write up.

All commercial vehicles need to come with URB's and even those which come to RTO for passing have to get them fitted before yearly certificate is given.

That said except for OE fitments efficacy of local fabricated ones is suspect. Almost all trucks want to carry more than legal loads so they add additional "patti" - leaf springs thus raising the height of URB's further on no load conditions.

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by .anshuman

At the time of collision with trucks without under run bars even the world's safest cars are not safe.

Ouch. That picture was another harsh illustration of the problem!

Originally Posted by tsk1979

Tail lights, RUPD, fitness, load limit.... all these laws are very much there. However, the executive is not interested in enforcing them because there is lot of money made in bribes.

The sad truth. A Rs. 100 bribe is worth more than a life in India.

Originally Posted by sudev

Almost all trucks want to carry more than legal loads so they add additional "patti" - leaf springs thus raising the height of URB's further on no load conditions.

Very good point!

Unfortunately everything seems to come back full circle to the poor enforcement of laws: thanks to corruption, negligence and lack of education.

cya
R

[ecosport rules]

Rehaan,
Its a fantastic idea.
Really appreciate the effort behind compilation

[quadra]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

The next time you're out on the highway, make a note of how many trucks are devoid of under-run protection, then remember this thread and drive safe!

There are some things which are right in front of us yet we are unaware about them.

Thanks to this thread, yesterday night when i was going back home, the moment i saw a truck in front of me, i quickly checked if it had the required under-run & side-run bars on it. It was like an instant & pre-programmed reaction to "check-for-the-bars-when-you-see-a-trailer"

What impressed me is that most of the trucks i saw, had side-run bars. I still however think that those side-run bars were placed slightly higher, at the windscreen level of the sedans / hatchbacks.

Under-run bars were visible on most of the trucks but those were also placed higher. On one of the trucks, one half of the under-run bar was completely missing so i doubt the other half would absorb the impact.

I guess, Suv's will have a better chance of survival here.

[TheDoctor]

This thread reminded me of the s class crash iirc in gujrat, and how the family members were protesting in front of the showroom for the inability of the s class to save its occupant. I vaguely remember the discussions, it was a good discussion, and discussion finally arrived at finding the cause, which was the rear overhang at fault causing cars to go under in India.

This thread refreshed that memory, and I'm glad this thread was created.

I Hope TBHP's reach and influence would make the authorities concerned to make it compulsory at the manufacturer level, just like ABS is going to be made compulsory on passenger cars, sooner than later. This could potentially save a lot of lives in India, where road casualties are highest in the world.